Teaching Literacy in Context: Choosing and Using Instructional Strategies

Abstract

There are many effective strategies that can be used to support student learning from expository text, but how do teachers choose and use them? The authors provide readers with a process for selecting instructional strategies that embed literacy instruction into teaching with content area text. A a veteran sixth‐grade teacher is followed as she engages in the process of assessment, reflection, planning, and teaching. The authors explain how the expert teacher chooses instructional strategies to develop vocabulary, fluency, comprehension, and motivation in the context of social science instruction. Student work samples help the reader envision classroom instruction and provide a context for reflections on student learning.

Long‐Term Planning for Technology in Literacy Instruction

“…Therefore, it is possible that this reflec tive process will influence the teachers' plans in the short term, which may also influence the long term plan for literacy instruction. Long term and short term planning work recursively, with long term planning supporting a careful assessment of major learning goals and short term planning respond ing to students' daily progress toward the larger goals, which may need refinement or adjustment depending on student progress (Miller & Veatch, 2010;Wiggins & McTighe, 2005). For technology in tegration in literacy instruction, the TIPC supports teachers to plan individual lessons and the long term plan provides a scope and sequence for the teaching of digital and traditional literacies over a school year.…”

Much Done, Much Yet to Do

“…To become academically literate, a student must learn how to access and use the levels of communication that exist within the various subject areas. In the pages of The Reading Teacher, contributors including Flynt andBrozo (2009) andMiller andVeatch (2010) have helped us better understand how teachers can choose and use literacy strategies effectively in core subject studies. As teachers engage in assessment, reflection, planning, and teaching/reteaching, they learn more about selecting and using the best academic literacy strategies for their students.…”

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“…To become academically literate, a student must learn how to access and use the levels of communication that exist within the various subject areas. In the pages of The Reading Teacher, contributors including Flynt and Brozo (2009) and Miller and Veatch (2010) have helped us better understand how teachers can choose and use literacy strategies effectively in core subject studies. As teachers engage in assessment, reflection, planning, and teaching/reteaching, they learn more about selecting and using the best academic literacy strategies for their students.…”